System and method for creating a dynamic activity profile using earphones with biometric sensors

Abstract

A system for creating and dynamically updating a user activity profile includes an earphone, a processor, a sensor module, a memory module. The memory module includes stored computer program code that, along with the memory module and the processor, is configured to carry out a number of operations to create and dynamically update the user activity profile. One such operation involves maintaining an activity archive that includes activity information received from the sensor module and that is representative of a user's activity. Another such operation includes creating and updating a dynamic activity profile based on initial user input and further based on the activity archive. The initial user input contributes to the dynamic activity profile according to a first weighting factor, and the activity archive contributes to the dynamic profile according to a second weighting factor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for creating and dynamically updating a user activity profile, the system comprising:
 an earphone comprising:
 a speaker; 
 a processor; 
 a heartrate sensor electrically coupled to the processor; and 
 a motion sensor electrically coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is configured to process electronic input signals from the motion sensor and the heartrate sensor; 
   a nontransitory computer-readable medium operatively coupled to at least one of one or more processors and having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause the system to:
 create an activity profile for a user; 
 monitor the user's activity to generate activity information; 
 maintain an activity archive comprising the activity information; and 
 update the activity profile based on the activity archive. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions stored on the one of one or more processors, when executed, further cause the system to: display on a display a recommendation related to the user's activity, wherein the recommendation is based on the activity profile. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the activity profile and the recommendation are based on heart rate variability data calculated by one of the one or more processors based on signals received from the heartrate sensor 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the activity information comprises heart rate variability data. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the activity information is selected from the group consisting of activity level data, sleep data, subjective feedback data, activity level data, and training load data. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions stored on the one of one or more processors, when executed, further cause the system to: display on a display an indication of an estimated level of accuracy of the activity profile; wherein the estimated level of accuracy is based on an amount and a consistency of the activity information. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the nontransitory computer-readable medium and one of one or more processors are embedded in the earphone. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heartrate sensor is an optical heartrate sensor protruding from a side of the earphone proximal to an interior side of a user's ear when the earphone is worn, and wherein the optical heartrate sensor is configured to measure the user's blood oxygenation level and to output an electrical signal representative of this measurement to one of the one or more processors. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a display wherein a graphical user interface is displayed on the display, the graphical user interface displaying information based on the activity information. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the information displayed is a recommendation to the user based on the activity information. 
     
     
         11 . A method for creating and dynamically updating a user activity profile using earphones with biometric sensors, the method comprising:
 creating an activity profile for a user;   tracking the user's activity; and   creating and updating a dynamic activity profile based on the activity profile and the user's activity.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising receiving user input to an activity questionnaire; wherein the activity profile is based on the user input to the activity questionnaire. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein creating the activity profile further comprises modifying the user input according to normative statistical data. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising creating and updating an activity archive based on the user's activity. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the activity profile contributes to the dynamic activity profile according to a first weighting factor, and wherein the user's activity contributes to the dynamic activity profile according to a second weighting factor. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising decreasing the first weighting factor as information about the user's activity is tracked and stored in the activity archive, and increasing the second weighting factor as information about the user's activity is tracked and stored in the activity archive. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein tracking the user's activity comprises monitoring a movement of the user using a wearable device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein tracking the user's activity comprises determining an activity level of the user; and wherein the dynamic activity profile is based on one or more of an average of the user's activity level, a range of the user's activity level, and a skew of the user's activity level. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein tracking the user's activity comprises tracking a set of activity parameters; and further comprising providing an activity recommendation based on one or more of the activity parameters. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the set of activity parameters comprises heart rate variability, sleep duration, sleep quality, subjective feedback from the user, previous activity levels, and training load data. 
     
     
         21 . A system for creating and dynamically updating a user activity profile, the system comprising:
 an earphone;   a processor;   a sensor; and   a memory comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer program code stored thereon, wherein the stored computer program code, and the processor are configured to:
 maintain an activity archive, the activity archive comprising activity information received from electrical signals generated by the sensor and representative of a user's activity; and 
 create and update a dynamic activity profile based on initial user input and further based on the activity archive; 
 wherein the initial user input contributes to the dynamic activity profile according to a first weighting factor, and wherein the activity archive contributes to the dynamic profile according to a second weighting factor. 
   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the stored computer program code and the processor are further configured to:
 vary the first weighting factor based on the activity information maintained in the activity archive; and   vary the second weighting factor based on the activity information in the activity archive.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the stored computer program code and the processor are further configured to recommend activities for the user based on the dynamic activity profile. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the processor, the sensor, and the memory module are embodied in the earphone. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the sensor is a motion sensor. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the sensor is an optical heartrate sensor protruding from a side of the earphone proximal to an interior side of a user's ear when the earphone is worn, and wherein the optical heartrate sensor is configured to measure the user's blood oxygenation level and to output an electrical signal representative of this measurement to the one or more processors.